1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to closure panels, and more specifically to an apparatus and method for use in positioning a latch assembly and a striker in tailgate applications.
2. Discussion
Light and medium duty pick-up trucks are widely used in both rural and urban settings. A pick-up truck contains a bed located aft of the passenger compartment for the transportation of cargo. The bed typically has a floor, body side walls, and a tailgate. The tailgate is an integral part of the pick-up truck, and it is desired that the tailgate be easily positionable between an open position to allow for loading and unloading of cargo and a closed position to secure cargo in the bed. The tailgate is generally pivotally mounted to the truck body side walls of the bed on an axis located at generally the same elevation as the floor of the bed.
Accordingly, tailgates typically have two stationary positions: a closed position and an open or a full down position. When the tailgate is in the closed position, it forms a rear wall to the bed for transportation of cargo in the bed. When the tailgate is in the open position, it is out of the way for loading and unloading cargo and also provides a surface to facilitate loading.
A typical scheme for holding the tailgate in place while in the closed position consists of a latch assembly and a striker. The latch assembly is typically attached to the tailgate and the striker is typically attached to the truck body. Neither are visible when the tailgate is in the closed position. The latch is typically positioned on the inner sheet metal of the tailgate via conically shaped indentations that are formed during the stamping of the tailgate. The sheet metal of the aft ends of the truck body typically have bores adapted to position the strikers. Generally there is a latch mechanism on both lateral ends of the tailgate, operable via a handle at the center of the rear face of the tailgate.
Sheet metal build variations of the sheet metal of the tailgate and the sheet metal of the truck body bed sometimes lead to poor fit of the tailgate in the closed position, for example, where the outer surface of the truck body is not flush with the outer surface of the tailgate when closed. Such a poor fit detrimentally affects such important considerations as closing effort, closing feel, appearance, and noise produced by the tailgate assembly while driving. This poor fit can be reduced by proper alignment of the latch and striker.
An apparatus and method for aligning a latch and a striker is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/924,363, titled "Method and Tool for Aligning a Striker with a Latch," filed Sep. 5, 1997 and also assigned to Chrysler Corporation, which is hereby incorporated by reference.